David in Saul’s Service

¹⁴ Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed^(A) from Saul, and an evil^[a] spirit^(B) from the Lord tormented him.^(C)

²³ Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit^(A) would leave him.

¹⁰ The next day an evil^[a] spirit^(A) from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre,^(B) as he usually^(C) did. Saul had a spear^(D) in his hand

⁹ But an evil^[a] spirit^(A) from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre,^(B)

²² “‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.

“‘I will go out and be a deceiving^(A) spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.

“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’